April training re-cap

After a healthy March, April has come and gone with a flurry of rides. Most of the rides were before work out on the road. I have done well with the base miles and my legs and lungs feel strong. I plan to get more trail miles in May.
April rides - 18
Distance - 623.29 miles
Avg. Speed - 17.31 mph
Ride Time - 36:59:.03

YTD Rides - 36
Distance - 1,204.27 miles
Avg Speed - 17.19
Ride Time - 71:09:04

My new ride...

After 2 months of waiting for my KHS Solo One SE singlespeed to arrive I opted out and made a new choice. I went with the Redline Monocog Flight 29'er. Gotta love that purdy blue color. Amazingly, it arrived in 2 days and I christened her Sunday at Stoney Creek Metro Park in Shelby Township, MI. After my last SS experience I made sure to have plenty of tools nearby, my emergency whistle (just kidding) and my cell phone charged in case it all went to hell. Once I dialed in the fit and tire pressure it was 2 hours of non-stop bliss. The bike was nimble yet solid and made absolutley no noise at all. No chain slap or creaking. The big tires rolled over everything and the Maxxis Ignitor tires allowed me to rail the turns with confidence. My first race on this rig will be this Sunday at Fort Custer. We'll see how it goes.

Yankee Springs Time Trial

Start:

The Yankee Springs Time Trial has been a perennial Spring favorite for the Michigan mountain bike race scene for years and stands right behind Iceman in attendance and popularity. The event was sponsored by the Western Chapter of the Michigan Mountain Bike Association (MMBA). This year did not disappoint as over 575 racers entered this 11 mile singletrack Time Trail. Conditions were ideal with sunny skies and warm, dry conditions. The organizers mixed it up on race day and reversed the course direction. This trail is designated one-way and reversing directions gave the trail a whole new dimension. Some folks were pretty upset over the change but I thought it was pretty cool. I was racing Expert Singlespeed and managed to miss my start time so they slipped me in with the Sport SS. No problem. I lost my only water bottle after hitting a bump in the first 100 yards. I thought, no problem. I can survive 50 minutes without water. About 4 miles in I heard a loud creak come from the rear hub and knew there was a problem with the tension on the chain. For the next 7 miles I tossed my chain off at least 10 times. In between those times I was feeling great, passing riders and ripping the trail. Once the chain would come off, the train of passed riders would blow past. At this point, I was getting desperate and considered picking up the next water bottle I saw laying on the trail to get some fluid in me but quickly dismissed the idea. On the final kick to the finish my chain flew off one final time and wedged so tight I had to run the final 100 yards to the finish. It was a frustrating experience although I felt great as well. My time was 1:03.00 which placed me last in my group. I'll put this behind me and move on to the next race at Fort Custer, May 4.
Finish:

My first Single Speed/29'er ride

Today was a perfect Spring day to get out to some singletrack before work. I had a loaner SS from the shop because my new SS is still on the boat from Taiwan (long story). Anyhoo, I went out to the nearest park, Maybury State Park near Northville, MI. This park is located on the site of a former Sanitarium where they housed patients with TB and other assorted conditions back in the day. It's a short trail (6.5) miles of tight singletrack with very little elevation gain. Perfect for a singlespeed. My first lap was plagued with interuptions. Once I had dialed in the tire pressure, the chain kept falling off. Once I tightened down the chain tensioner all was well. The Kenda Nevegal 2.20 tires were awesome and rolled well considering their tread pattern resembles a tractor tire. The 29" wheel size had a noticable impact on suspension and the fully rigid aluminum frame was responsive as well as forgiving. The 33X18 gearing was perfect for this trail. I noticed the sensation of standing while pedaling seemed more natural than while riding a geared bike. The wide handlebars felt great while pulling my way to the top of the climbs. I think I'm going to enjoy this new phase of riding. Here is a shot of the loaner bike as well as a vintage shot of the Sanitarium.

1st race of the season. Not.

April 13 marks the areas first MTB race of the season at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. Usually this is a exciting time of the year for us ready to rage on the singletrack but tomorrow the forecast is calling for snow and the organizer may actually cancel this event. I can handle snow during the Fall months when it is anticipated. That big green blob on the weather map is parked directly above me. I'm planning to sleep-in instead.

Granville Island Brewing

Yes, beer and cycling go hand in hand. Actually, beer goes well with anything. I received this jersey as a parting gift from my co-workers when I left Seattle to relocate East. Granville Island Brewing is located on Granville Island, very close to downtown Vancouver, BC.(thanks Doug). Sugoi teamed up with them and came up with some pretty cool graphics. Two regrets are that the jersey is too large and I never had a chance to drink some of that Gastown Amber! For a larger view click on the photo.Brewery LINK.

Iron Horse Criterium

So I have just signed up to do my first official Criterium the day after I do my first official P2P (point to point) Road Race in Durango. I've watched this race before and the downtown area of Durango is a great setting for a crit. This course has eight turns with a few inclines. I'm looking forward to it. Even more entertaining is the Cruiser Crit. The costumes and bikes are amazing! What a great party for the participants as well as the spectators!

Training recap...

After a dismal start to my training season the miles are finally starting to add up. In January I had 3 outdoor rides and did some spinning and weights. In February I had ZERO outdoor rides but continued with the indoor workouts. In March despite the crummy Spring conditions I pushed hard to get out, ride and I feel great now.
March totals:
15 Rides
504.59 miles
17.19 mph AVG.
29h 26m